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Improve SMT productivity by identifying production bottlenecks and upgrading the areas that matter most. From pick-and-place equipment and automation to intelligent software, M2M communication, traceability and complete line integration, Hawker Richardson helps electronics manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand build more efficient, connected SMT production environments.
Programming, component preparation, product changeovers, machine setup, manual processes and disconnected production systems can all reduce the amount of time your equipment spends doing what it was purchased to do – producing.
Hawker Richardson helps electronics manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand identify and overcome these production bottlenecks through SMT equipment, intelligent factory software, machine-to-machine communication, automation and complete line integration.
Whether you’re considering replacing an existing pick-and-place machine, upgrading part of your SMT line or planning your next complete production system, we can help you look beyond individual machine specifications and improve the productivity of the entire manufacturing process!
Request an SMT Production Review
Machine speed is imprtant.
But the theoretical speed of a pick-and-place machine only matters while the machine is actually producing.
For high-mix electronics manufacturers in particular, valuable production time can be lost through:
This means the question isn’t simply:
A better question is:
Finding the answer means looking beyond an individual machine and considering how your complete SMT production environment works together.
Learn more about SMT Production Optimisation
A modern SMT line is much more than a series of machines connected by conveyors.
An integrated production environment brings together equipment, software, materials, operators and production data, allowing the different stages of PCB assembly to operate as part of one manufacturing system.
A complete Hawker Richardson SMT solution can incorporate:
Solder Paste Printing → SPI → Component Placement → Reflow → AOI
with Nutek PCB handling and automation connecting the individual processes.
Behind the physical production line, intelligent software and supporting systems can manage:
The objective is no longer simply to optimise one machine.
Improving production doesn’t necessarily mean replacing everything you already own.
If you’re operating an existing SMT line, the first step is understanding where production time, capacity or efficiency is being lost.
Your next equipment investment can then address the problem rather than simply adding another machine.
Reduce SMT Changeover Time.
High-mix production means frequent product change… and every minute spent preparing the next job is a minute the production line may not be producing.
Moving programming, component preparation and setup activities offline allows the next production run to be prepared while the current product is still being manufactured.
Intelligent feeder preparation, guided setup processes and automated machine configuration can further reduce the time required between the last good board of one product and the first good board of the next.
The result is more productive machine time without necessarily increasing placement speed
What happens when your printer, SPI, mounters, inspection systems and production software operate independently?
Production information can remain isolated within individual machines and processes.
Machine-to-machine communication (M2M) allows production equipment and software to exchange information, helping create a connected manufacturing environment where data from one process can contribute to another.
Yamaha’s Intelligent Factory approach uses YSUP software and M2M communication to connect production processes and support greater automation, visibility and control throughout SMT production.
If you’re considering replacing JUKI SMT equipment, it’s worth looking beyond individual machine specifications. Yamaha’s Intelligent Factory approach combines SMT equipment with YSUP software and machine-to-machine communication to connect production processes, automate operations and improve visibility across the line.
And you don’t necessarily need to replace your entire production line. Yamaha equipment can be integrated into existing mixed-brand SMT environments, allowing manufacturers to upgrade strategically while taking advantage of more connected production and automation.
Programming shouldn’t unnecessarily consume valuable production time.
With the right production environment, programs can be created, optimised and prepared offline while the SMT line continues manufacturing.
Yamaha YSUP Intelligent Factory Software provides a centralised software environment supporting programming and scheduling across the SMT production process.
This helps manufacturers reduce duplicated work, simplify preparation and create more consistent production processes.
The fastest SMT machine in the world cannot place a component that isn’t available when it is required.
Effective material management therefore plays an important role in production efficiency.
Intelligent component storage, offline feeder preparation and production information can help ensure components are available and prepared before they are required on the line.
The next product can be prepared while the current product is still running, helping turn changeover preparation into an offline process rather than production downtime.
Knowing that your SMT line is running isn’t the same as knowing whether it is running efficiently.
Production monitoring and analysis provide greater visibility of machine utilisation, line conditions, production performance and potential bottlenecks.
Instead of relying solely on operator observations, manufacturers can use production data to understand what is happening across their manufacturing environment and identify opportunities for improvement.
Modern electronics manufacturing increasingly requires manufacturers to know exactly what happened to each PCB during production.
Integrated traceability can provide production histories covering the board, components and manufacturing processes involved.
This information can support quality management, customer requirements, process improvement and investigation when a production issue occurs.
Automation doesn’t have to mean replacing an entire factory.
It can begin by removing individual manual processes.
Automatic width adjustment, program changes, production setup, component preparation and communication between equipment can progressively reduce operator intervention while improving repeatability.
The result is a production line that can respond more efficiently to changing products and production requirements.
The physical production equipment is only one part of an intelligent SMT factory.
Yamaha YSUP Intelligent Factory Software provides the software infrastructure that helps connect production information and manufacturing processes.
YSUP covers six key areas:
Create and optimise production programs and schedules.
Support operators and production processes to improve efficiency and reduce errors.
Gain greater visibility of production performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
Record and manage detailed manufacturing information throughout production.
Allow production equipment and processes to exchange information and work together.
Support equipment performance and preventative maintenance activities.
Together with Yamaha production equipment, YSUP provides the foundation for a more connected and intelligent SMT manufacturing environment.
Replacing an existing pick-and-place machine presents an opportunity to do more than increase placement speed.
It is an opportunity to consider the manufacturing process surrounding it.
Before selecting your next SMT machine, ask:
Could programming be moved offline?
Could product changeovers be faster?
Could component preparation happen while the current job is still running?
Could machines exchange production and quality information?
Could manual setup processes be automated?
Could traceability be improved?
Could production performance be monitored more effectively?
Could the new equipment integrate more effectively with future automation?
Most importantly:
A machine upgrade shouldn’t simply replace one piece of equipment with another.
It should provide an opportunity to improve the production system around it.
Take a virtual walk through a complete SMT production line featuring
Yamaha production equipment, Nutek PCB handling and Heller reflow technology.
Explore the line in a 360° production environment, move through each stage
of the process and take a closer look at the technologies that bring an
integrated SMT production solution together.
Every electronics manufacturer is different.
A high-mix contract electronics manufacturer has different requirements from a manufacturer producing the same PCB continuously.
That’s why Hawker Richardson doesn’t approach SMT production as a single-machine solution.
We supply and support technologies covering the complete electronics manufacturing process across Australia and New Zealand.
A production solution can incorporate:
Advanced solder paste printing, dispensing, component placement and inspection equipment combined with Yamaha Intelligent Factory software and automation.
High-performance inline reflow technology for electronics manufacturing.
Loaders, unloaders, conveyors, buffers and PCB handling systems connecting the different stages of the SMT production process.
SPI, AOI, X-ray and supporting inspection technologies for quality control throughout electronics production.
Intelligent component storage, preparation and management solutions supporting high-mix SMT manufacturing.
Software and connected technologies designed to bring equipment, production information and processes together.
Whether you’re replacing one machine or planning a completely new production line, the objective is the same:
Don’t evaluate the machine in isolation.
Consider the complete production environment.
What throughput do you actually require — and where are the current constraints preventing you from achieving it?
How frequently are you changing products, components and production setups?
How much available production time is being lost between production runs?
How will new equipment communicate with the rest of your production environment?
Which repetitive manual processes could be automated or moved offline?
How efficiently are components stored, prepared, replenished and tracked?
What production information do your customers and quality systems require?
Will today’s equipment and software support the production environment you expect to be operating in five or ten years?
Will the investment simply increase theoretical machine speed, or improve the economics and productivity of your overall production process?
If you’re considering upgrading an existing SMT machine or you’re frustrated by limitations within your current production environment, you don’t necessarily need to know what the solution is before speaking to us.
Start with the problem.
Tell Hawker Richardson what equipment you’re currently running, where you’re experiencing bottlenecks and what you’d most like to improve.
Our electronic production specialists can discuss your existing SMT production environment and help identify opportunities around:
If you’re considering upgrading an existing SMT machine or you’re frustrated by limitations within your current production environment, start with the problem.
Tell us what equipment you’re currently running, where you’re experiencing bottlenecks and what you’d most like to improve.
Our electronic production specialists can discuss your current SMT production environment and identify opportunities around equipment, productivity, changeovers, programming, machine integration, M2M communication, traceability and automation.
An SMT Production Line Upgrade can range from replacing a single machine to improving software, programming, component management, PCB handling, inspection or automation across the line. The right approach depends on your existing equipment, production mix and where productivity is currently being lost.
No. An SMT Production Line Upgrade does not necessarily mean replacing your complete production line. Bottlenecks may exist in programming, setup, changeovers, component management, inspection or communication between processes. Hawker Richardson can review your existing production environment and identify where targeted upgrades could deliver the greatest improvement.
Yes. If your SMT Production Line Upgrade involves replacing existing placement equipment, Yamaha equipment can form part of a wider production solution. Hawker Richardson can assess your existing printer, placement, inspection, reflow and PCB handling equipment and discuss an appropriate upgrade and integration strategy.
An upgrade may be worth considering when changeovers are taking too long, production capacity is becoming constrained, equipment requires increasing operator intervention, systems are difficult to integrate, or your existing line no longer provides the automation, traceability or production visibility you require.
Potentially, yes. Replacing a pick-and-place machine does not automatically require replacement of the complete SMT line. An SMT Production Line Upgrade can be planned around your existing equipment, conveyors, software and production requirements, allowing you to improve specific areas while retaining equipment that continues to meet your needs.
Yes. Depending on your existing processes, an upgrade can introduce offline programming, feeder preparation, component verification, intelligent setup and automation. These technologies can move activities away from valuable production time and reduce the time required between manufacturing different products.
Not necessarily. Placement speed is only one factor affecting total production output. If time is being lost through setup, changeovers, programming, material shortages or disconnected processes, addressing these bottlenecks may deliver a greater productivity improvement than simply increasing theoretical placement speed.
Start with your current production challenges rather than a particular machine. Consider where time is being lost, what limits your capacity, how frequently you change products, which processes require manual intervention and how effectively your equipment and software work together. Hawker Richardson can then help identify the most appropriate upgrade path.
Improve SMT productivity by identifying production bottlenecks and upgrading the areas that matter most. From pick-and-place equipment and automation to intelligent software, M2M communication, traceability and complete line integration, Hawker Richardson helps electronics manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand build more efficient, connected SMT production environments.
